Presidents of the Philippines
from Past to Present:
1. Emilio Aguinaldo (January 23, 1899 – March 23, 1901)
2. Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944)
3. Jose P. Laurel (October 14, 1943 – August 17, 1945)
4. Sergio Osmeña Sr. (August 1, 1944 – May 28, 1946)
5. Manuel A. Roxas (May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948)
6. Elpidio R. Quirino (April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953)
7. Ramon Magsaysay Sr. (December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957)
8. Carlos P. Garcia (March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961)
9. Diosdado P. Macapagal (December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965)
10. Ferdinand E. Marcos (December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986)
11. Corazon C. Aquino (February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992)
12. Fidel V. Ramos (June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998)
13. Joseph E. Estrada (June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001)
14. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010)
15. Benigno Aquino III (June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016)
16. Rodrigo Roa Duterte (June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022)
17. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (June 30, 2022 – present)
1. Emilio Aguinaldo (January 23, 1899 – March 23, 1901)
Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippines First Republic (also
known as the Malolos Republic). He was inaugurated on January 23, 1899, at the
Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan. He led the proclamation of the Philippine
Independence on June 12, 1898, in his ancestral home in Kawit, Cavite.
Contributions and Achievements of Emilio Aguinaldo:
He waved the Philippine flag in declaring the independence of the
Philippines in 1898
He was the first (and only) president of the First Republic (Malolos
Republic)
The youngest Filipino president, taking office at age 28
The longest-lived president of the Philippines, passing away at age
94
Featured in the front and back of the Philippine 5-peso bill (not circulated
anymore)
He led the country in the Spanish-Philippine War and the American-
Philippine War
He led the proclamation of the Philippine Independence
Known as the President of the Revolutionary Government
Signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, creating a truce between the Spanish
and Philippine revolutionaries
He was a well-known entrepreneur, soldier, and politician
Emilio Aguinaldo had Bachelor of Arts (college preparatory) at the Colegio
de San Juan de Letran in 1880
2. Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944)
Manuel L. Quezon was the 2nd president of the Philippines and the first president
of the Philippine Commonwealth established under the USA. He was inaugurated
on December 30, 1941, in Corregidor Island. He’s known as the “Father of National
Language” (Ama ng Wikang Pambansa). He died of tuberculosis in Saranac Lake,
New York.
Contributions and Achievements of Manuel L. Quezon:
First President elected through a national election
First Senate President elected as President of the Philippines
The first president of the Philippines under the Commonwealth
Initiated women’s suffrage in the Philippines during the Commonwealth
Manuel L. Quezon created the National Council of Education
He approved Filipino as the national language of the Philippines
Studied Bachelor of Arts at Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Studied Bachelor of Law at the University of Sto. Tomas
Ranked 4th in the Philippine Bar Exam (1903)
A province, a city, a bridge, and a university in Manila are named after
him
He fought for the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934)
His body rests peacefully inside the special monument on Quezon
Memorial Circle
Featured in the 20-peso bill, for the Declaration of Filipino as the national
language
First Filipino featured on the cover of TIME Magazine
3. Jose P. Laurel (October 14, 1943 – August 17, 1945)
Jose P. Laurel was the 3rd president of the Philippines and the president of the Second
Philippine Republic. His inauguration was on October 14, 1943, in the Legislative
Building, now National Museum. He served president of the Philippines during
the Japanese occupation during World War II.
Contributions and Achievements of Jose P. Laurel:
Jose P. Laurel is the only Philippine president who served the three
branches of government – he became a senator-congressman,
associate justice, and president
Since the early 1960s, Laurel was recognized as a legitimate president of
the Philippines
Organized KALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas, or
Association for Service to the New Philippines), a provisional government
during the Japanese occupation
Laurel declared Martial Law and war between the Philippines and the
US/United Kingdom in 1944
He’s the Founder of the Lyceum of the Philippines
He’s a Law genius, ranked 2nd in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1915
Earned a Doctorate in Civil Law from Yale University in 1920
Received Honoris Causa from Tokyo Imperial University in 1938
He was assassinated twice, but he survived and recovered
4. Sergio Osmeña Sr. (August 1, 1944 – May 28, 1946)
Sergio Osmeña Sr. was the 4th president of the Philippines and the 2nd president of the
Commonwealth. He was inaugurated on August 1, 1944, in Washington DC. He
succeeded the presidency after the death of then president Manuel L. Quezon. During
his administration, the Philippines joined the International Monetary Fund.
Contributions and Achievements of Sergio Osmena:
Sergio Osmeña was the first Visayan to become president, born in
Cebu City
He joined with U.S. Gen. Douglas McArthur in Leyte on October 20, 1944,
to begin restoration of Philippine freedom after Japanese occupation
Founder of the Nacionalista Party
Philippine National Bank was rehabilitated, and the country joined
the International Monetary Fund during his presidency
The U.S. Congress approved the Bell Trade Act during his presidency
He was 2nd placer in the 1903 Philippine Bar Exam
Founder and Editor of a Spanish newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, in Cebu
City
Had Bachelor of Arts from Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1894)
Had Bachelor of Law from the University of Santo Tomas (1903)
Featured in the 50-peso bill, First Philippine Assembly, Leyte Landing
5. Manuel A. Roxas (May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948)
Manuel Roxas was the 5th president of the Philippines, the 3rd (and last) president
under the Commonwealth, and the first president of the Third Republic of the
Philippines. He was inaugurated on May 28, 1946, at the National Museum building.
He held office for only one year, 10 months, and 18 days.
Contributions and Achievements of Manuel Roxas:
Manuel Roxas was inaugurated as the first president of the New Republic
after World War II
Reconstruction from war damage and life without foreign rule began
during his presidency
Congress accepted the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and Philippine
Trade Act laws under his term
Ranked 1st Place in the Philippine Bar Exam (1913)
Featured in the 100-peso bill, Old Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas building in
Intramuros, Manila, Inauguration of the Third Philippine Republic
6. Elpidio R. Quirino (April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953)
Elpidio Quirino was the 6th president of the Philippines and the 2nd president of the
Third Republic. He succeeded presidency after incumbent president Manuel Roxas
died in 1948. Quirino was 57 years old when he was inaugurated as president on April
17, 1948, at the Malacañang Palace.
Contributions and Achievements of Elpidio Quirino:
Hukbalahap Guerrilla movement was active during his presidency
He created the Social Security Commission
He created the Integrity Board to monitor graft and corruption
During his term, Quezon City became capital of the Philippines in 1948
Completed Bachelor of Law at the University of the Philippines in 1915
Dean of the College of Law at the Adamson University (1941-1946)
Ranked 2nd placer in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1915
7. Ramon Magsaysay Sr. (December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957)
Ramon Magsaysay was the 7th president of the Philippines and the 3rd president of the
Third Republic. He was the first president who sworn into the office wearing Barong
Tagalog during the inauguration. He died in an aircraft disaster while boarding the
presidential plane.
Contributions and Achievements of Ramon Magsaysay:
He led to defeat the Hukbalahap movement
Chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla Affairs
His presidency was referred to as the Philippines’ “Golden Years” for
its lack of corruption
The Philippines was ranked second in Asia’s clean and well-
governed countries during his presidency
He established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) among other agrarian reforms
He made the Philippine a member of the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization
8. Carlos P. Garcia (March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961)
Carlos P. Garcia is the 8th president of the Philippines and fourth president of the Third
Republic. This Bohol native was a lawyer, poet, and professor and served as a guerrilla
leader during the Pacific War. Garcia served as vice president under Ramon
Magsaysay and as secretary of Foreign Affairs for four years. He became president
when Magsaysay died in a plane crash in 1957.
Contributions and Achievements of Carlos P. Garcia:
Carlos P. Garcia was known for promoting “Filipino First Policy,” which
favored Filipino businesses over foreign investors
He established the Austerity Program focusing on Filipino trade and
commerce
He became a famous poet and known as the “Prince of Visayan Poets”
and the “Bard from Bohol.”
Cultural arts was revived during his term
He was the first president to have his remains buried at the Libingan ng
mga Bayani
He achieved 7th placer in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1923
9. Diosdado P. Macapagal (December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965)
Diosdado P. Macapagal was the 9th president of the Philippines. He was a lawyer and
economist, born in Lubao, Pampanga. He was inaugurated on December 30, 1961, at
the Quirino Grandstand. His daughter, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, followed his path and
became president, too.
Contributions and Achievements of Diosdado Macapagal:
Topped the Bar Exam, 1st place in 1936
Took a Master of Law in 1941 and Doctor of Civil Law in 1947, and a Ph.D.
in Economics in 1957
Diosdado Macapagal was a great economist, he established the first Land
Reform Law, allowing for the purchase of private farmland to be
distributed in inexpensive, small lots to the landless
He placed the Philippine peso on the free currency exchange
market and encouraged exports
The Philippine representative to the United Nations General
Assembly three times
He signed the Minimum Wage Law
Diosdado Macapagal signed the law to create the Philippine Veteran’s
Bank
Featured in the 200-peso bill
10. Ferdinand E. Marcos (December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986)
Ferdinand Marcos was the tenth president of the Philippines and the last president of
the Third Republic. He was one of the most controversial leaders of the 20 th century.
He ruled the Philippines for 21 years and was removed from office after the People
Power Revolution.
Contributions and Achievements of Ferdinand Marcos:
The first president to win a second term
The longest-ruling president of the Philippines, he ruled for 21 years
He declared Martial Law on Sept. 22, 1972
He increased the size of Philippine military and armed forces
By 1980, the Philippine GNP was four times greater than 1972
Marcos built more schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, and other
infrastructure than all former presidents combined
He topped 1st place in the Bar Exam in 1939
The only president whose remains were interred inside a refrigerated
crypt
Many of Marcos Sr.’s infrastructure projects include the North Luzon
Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, Maharlika Highway, Circumferential
Roads 1-10, San Juanico Bridge, and Mactan-Mandaue Bridge
Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s government also completed 20 power plants so
that the Philippines would be independent of the surging prices of oil and
electricity
Notable medical institutions were also built during Marcos’s regime, such
as the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and
National Kidney and Transplant Institute
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Folks Arts Theater, Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC), National Arts Center, Nayong
Pilipino, and the People’s Park in the Sky were constructed during Marcos
Sr.’s regime to promote Filipino heritage and culture
Marcos Sr. signed the Emancipation of Tenants from the Bondage of
the Soil (Presidential Decree No.27) in 1972
11. Corazon C. Aquino (February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992)
Corazon Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and the first woman
to become president of an Asian country. She was the 11 th president and a democracy
icon, one of the 100 Women Who Shaped World History and 20 Most Influential Asians
of the 20th Century.
Contributions and Achievements of Corazon Aquino:
The first woman to be president of the Philippines or any Asian
country
She signed the Family Code of 1987, a major civil law reform, and 1191
Local Government Code, which reorganized the structure of the
executive branch of government
She initiated charitable and social activities helping the poor and the
needy
Was named “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by TIME magazine
She was featured on the new 500-peso bill together with her husband,
Benigno Aquino Jr.
Among the 100 Women Who Shaped World History
One of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century
One of TIME Magazine’s 65 Asian Heroes
Received Honorary Doctorates from international universities including
Boston University, Eastern University in Pennsylvania, Fordham University
in New York, Waseda University in Tokyo
12. Fidel V. Ramos (June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998)
Fidel Ramos was the 12th president of the Philippines. Ramos also lived longer than
the other presidents. Like Aguinaldo, FVR was 94 years old when he died. He’s one of
the most admired presidents because, during his presidency, he restored economic
growth and stability in the country.
Contributions and Achievements of Fidel V. Ramos:
FVR was widely credited as the most effective president because he
led the Philippines to economic growth
He promoted family-planning practices to help to solve the country’s
growing population
Hosted the 4th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader’s Summit in
the Philippines in 1996
He presided over celebrations of Philippine Independence Centennial in
1998
Ramos reached out peace talks with the rebels such as the Moro
National Liberation Front and New People’s Army
FVR received British Knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
(Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George)
The Philippine Stock Exchange became an international favorite during
his presidency
Ranked 8th Place in the Philippine Civil Engineering Licensure
Exam (1953)
The death penalty was reinstated while he was in office
FVR was the only military officer who reached the rank of five-star
general/admiral de jure who rose from second lieutenant up to
commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Had 29 Honorary Doctorate Degrees
13. Joseph E. Estrada (June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001)
Joseph Estrada is the 13th president of the Philippines and the first film actor to
become a president in the country. During his years in office, economic growth was
slow, and he faced impeachment proceedings. He became the first president in Asia
to be impeached from an executive role. He was ousted from the presidency in 2001.
Contributions and Achievements of Joseph Estrada:
He starred in over 100 films in the Philippines and received numerous
Best Actor awards
Moro Islamic Liberation Front headquarters and camps were captured
during his presidency
Cited as one of the Three Outstanding Senators in 1989
He became a Mayor of the City of Manila, the county’s capital
He won every mayor election in San Juan from 1969 to 1984
Erap was among the “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the
agreement that allows for U.S. control of Clark Airbase and Subic Naval
Base
He was credited with the passage of, among other pieces of legislation,
the bills on irrigation project and the protection of carabaos
14. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010)
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the 14th president of the Philippines, the 2nd female
president, and the first Filipino president whose parent was a former president. She’s
also an economist like her father, ex-president Diosdado Macapagal. Having a
master’s degree and doctorate in economics, Gloria put the Philippine economy back
in shape.
Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5% during her administration,
expanding every quarter of her presidency. That is higher than in the administrations
of her three immediate predecessors. The peso strengthened by nearly 20% in
making it the best-performing currency of the year in 2007.
Contributions and Achievements of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo:
Second female president of the country
First president to take oath outside Luzon
Gloria Arroyo oversaw higher economic growth than the past three
presidents before her
Philippine Peso became the best-performing currency of the
year in Asia in 2007 during her term
eVAT Law was implemented under her term
She supported to bring back Spanish language in the Philippines during
her 9-year presidency
She took up International Trade at Georgetown University in
Washington D.C. with Bill Clinton
Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Assumption College in 1968
Arroyo earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from Ateneo de
Manila University in 1978
Obtained Doctorate in Economics from the University of the
Philippines in 1986
Numerous Honorary Degrees granted by prominent international
universities
TIME Magazine’s People Who Mattered list for 2005
Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (2004 – 2009)
Currently featured on the 200-peso bill
15. Benigno Aquino III (June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016)
Benigno Aquino III was the 15th president of the Philippines. He was the first bachelor
president. A son of ex-president Corazon Aquino, he was also called as Noynoy or
PNoy. Noynoy finished his Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University. He
was one of the students of a former economics professor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
the president before him.
Contributions and Achievements of Benigno Aquino III:
He created the no “wang-wang” (street siren) policy
Noynoy initiated shifting to K-12 education in the Philippines
Peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in October 2012
Oversaw 7.1% growth of the Philippine economy in 2012
TIME named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the
World in 2013
16. Rodrigo Roa Duterte (June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022)
Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the 16th president of the Philippines. He’s one of the most
loved presidents. He’s earned a massive fanbase after transforming one of the most
dangerous cities (Davao) into one of the world’s safest when he was a mayor. At age
71, he became the oldest Filipino ever elected to the presidency.
Contributions and Achievements of Rodrigo Duterte:
He earned Political Science Degree from Lyceum of the Philippines in
1968
Obtained Law Degree from San Beda College in 1972
He initiated decongesting the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in
Manila, the country’s main gateway
Signed the Freedom of Information Order
Duterte launched a 24-hour complaint hotline, 8888
He signed an order for Smoking Ban in public places
Boracay Island was rehabilitated during his term
Launched the Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program
Duterte signed the TRAIN Law and Comprehensive Tax Reform
Program
One of Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful People in 2016
Duterte has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine
17. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (June 30, 2022 – present)
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is the 17th president of the Philippines. He is the second child
of former president Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and the “iron butterfly” Imelda
Romualdez Marcos. His campaign is focused on unity. BBM won the presidential
election by a landslide garnering over 31 million votes.
Contributions and Achievements of Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr:
BBM has been a public servant since 1980
He served as a senator, congressman, governor, and vice-governor
Marcos Jr. authored landmark laws such as the Philippine Archipelagic
Baselines Law (R.A. 9522)
He authored, co-authored, sponsored, and co-sponsored 54 bills passed
into law
BBM led the modernization of agricultural and tourism landscape of Ilocos
Norte when he was a governor
BBM is an advocate of renewable energy and sustainable development,
the Bangui Windmill Farm was one of his astonishing energy development
projects
